


Santa's Lap

by larryatendoftheday



Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Non-Famous, Christmas, Christmas Fluff, Holidays, M/M, New Year's Fluff, New Years, No Smut, Santa!Harry, Sassy Louis Tomlinson, Strangers to Lovers, references to light bdsm and other sexy stuff but no actual smut
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-17
Updated: 2019-12-17
Packaged: 2021-02-26 07:35:43
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,227
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21649915
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/larryatendoftheday/pseuds/larryatendoftheday
Summary: Louis is a grown man, and he will absolutely not go see Santa with his siblings. And even if he gives in, he definitely won’t enjoy it. Right?A Christmas story about unexpected gifts, featuring Harry as a mall Santa and Louis as a great big brother.
Relationships: Harry Styles/Louis Tomlinson
Comments: 18
Kudos: 163
Collections: 1D Christmas Fest





	Santa's Lap

**Author's Note:**

> Much thanks to my amazing editor @userkant for her invaluable help and the mods for organizing this fest!
> 
> The [fic moodboard and post](https://larryatendoftheday.tumblr.com/post/189441966841/santas-lap-by-larryatendoftheday-edited-by) can be reblogged on Tumblr.

“I’m a grown man. I don’t want to take a picture with Santa Claus.” 

“Louis, darling,” his mother sighed. “The littles deserve to do all the traditions you did growing up.”

“And they _can_! I’m not stopping them.”

“But they will be sad if you don’t go with them. They don’t understand that you can outgrow Santa yet.”

“I am an _adult_ , Mom.”

“You’re not acting like one.”

Louis rolled his eyes. He was almost thirty for god’s sake. Glancing around the mall, he searched for familiar faces. He couldn’t see anyone right now, but someone was bound to see him _talking to_ _Santa_. It just didn’t sit right with him.

Tinny Christmas music was echoing around the space. He was confident he had heard Mariah Carey’s crooning about wanting her lover for Christmas at least twice in the last hour. Big red bows were attached to every sign and cheap garlands hung with abandon. It was not exactly his ideal day before Christmas Eve, but…. He took a deep breath. He was grateful for the time off work. He loved that he was here with his family, watching the twins squealing happily on a tiny train. He would be sad if he were anywhere else.

His mom spoke up again from beside him. “Come on, it’s just for a moment. I know it will mean a lot to them.”

“I don’t know, Mom.”

“Just go up, help them talk to Santa, and pose for some photos with them.”

Louis groaned. He was suspicious that he would be tricked into sitting on Santa’s lap and that just would not do. He was a—decidedly _not_ _small_ —adult man, and he would _not_ be sitting on some stranger’s lap in the middle of the afternoon in public.

Had he sat on a guy’s lap and liked it? Yes. Very much so. But that was when he was in the darkness of a party, a drink or two in, trying to pull a hot guy or claiming some guy he was seeing. God knows people fucked off when you sat on a guy’s lap, wrapped your arms around his neck, and glared at them. (Now, if only he had someone to be possessive about.)

Sitting on a guy’s lap was…intimate. Sitting on some old guy’s lap—who might very well be a real creep, he thought—and pretending he was magical was not on his list of fun activities. What kind of guy worked as a mall Santa anyway? Not anyone normal.

“Would you make Lottie do this?” he asked.

“Yes. And she _has_ done it.”

“Interesting that all the girls were conveniently busy this afternoon, then,” Louis muttered under his breath. They probably didn’t like this any more than he did.

The little train slowed to a stop and the conductor wished the kids all happy holidays from the north pole as he helped them out of their seats.

Ernest ran up to him and grabbed his pant leg, eyes wide. “Achoo did you see? Did you see me?”

“Yeah little man, I did!”

“I was an airplane!”

Louis laughed and scooped Ernest up, moving him in figure eights in the air. “You’re _still_ an airplane, but you better start the engine.” He lowered his brother suddenly and raised his eyebrows in false alarm. “Or you’ll fall!” Ernest shrieked and started making appropriate engine noises immediately, and Louis raised him back up, swooping him through the air.

Doris was hopping and giggling in excitement. “My turn!”

Setting Ernest down with a quick ruffle of his hair, he hoisted Doris up for a turn. She knew to make the airplane noises after watching her bother.

Louis smiled wide. “You’re such a good airplane!” His mom was snapping photos, but what did he care. This was the stuff that made being a big brother so great.

Setting Doris down again, he knelt to her level and let her talk about airplanes for a moment while he just looked at her. Her pale cheeks were flushed ruby with excitement and her face was framed by a frizzy halo of red curls. Her hands, flying through the air as she gestured, were starting to look less like the chubby toddler hands and more like children’s.

He nodded and hummed in agreement to Doris and looked over at Ernest, whose face shone from exertion. His blond hair no longer fell to his shoulders. It was cut like a proper grown-up haircut despite his round childish cheeks. He wore a tiny tie, all dressed up to meet Santa. 

“Achoo,” Doris put her face inches from his, brows furrowed and lips puckered in disapproval. “You weren’t listening.”

Ernest nodded gravely, crossing his arms. “That’s not nice, Louis.”

His mom laughed. “Louis, they have better manners than you!”

“Sorry—was just thinking how grown up you two are these days,” he said, pulling them into his chest for a hug. They protested but hugged him back, and it was moments like this that reminded him how lucky he was to be their big brother.

He looked up at his mom. “Okay.” He added the rest in his eyes. He would go talk to Santa for these precious kids. He wouldn’t like it, but he would do it. He would probably do anything for them.

His mom clapped her hands. “I think it’s time now.”

Ernest pulled out of Louis’ arms. “For Santa?”

“Yes,” she said, pressing her lips together to contain her smile as the twins cheered. Her eyes flicked up to Louis.

Right. He took a breath and braced himself to really do this. He mustered something that sounded like excitement, and said, “I can’t wait any longer. Let’s go!”

The twins held hands with Louis as they walked across the mall atrium toward the cluster of fake trees partially concealing Santa. There was a short queue being manned by an elf in hideous striped tights and noisy jingle bells. Louis took joy in the fact that the elf would always be more embarrassing than him; he couldn’t compete with that getup. What a relief.

They got in the line and Louis watched Santa talk to kids with a kind tilt to his head. At least he knew how to do his job, then. The twins whispered to each other about what they would say to Santa, visibly nervous as the line inched forward. He leaned down to pat their heads.

“Loves, it’s okay. Santa wants to meet you.” He paused and directed their gazes to where Santa was smiling, wide and toothy at the kid in his lap. There were dimples in the man’s cheeks, and his eyes crinkled around the edges. Louis had meant to say more, but he was at a loss for words when confronted with such a genuine smile.

“He seems nice, Doris,” Earnest said.

“Yeah,” she whispered back, still holding onto her twin’s hand.

“Plus, we’ve been good!”

“I’ve been good,” she echoed.

Their mom crouched down to pull the twins in for a hug and kiss. “It’s okay, loves. You’ve both been so good, and Santa is always nice.”

Louis nodded distractedly; his eyes were drawn back to Santa. The line inched forward and Louis saw his dimples came into focus inch by inch. So maybe mall Santas weren’t all garbage.

This guy clearly knew how to work with kids. He was listening intently as a toddler garbled on excitedly, and then—there it was again. That smile, so big it looked like it tore his face in two. The kid was tugging on his beard and grinning right back. Louis was smiling, too, he realized.

Just then, the man looked up and his eyes met Louis’. He couldn’t breathe, couldn’t move under his gaze. His eyes are green, Louis thought distantly. Something flickered in Santa’s eyes before he turned back to the child in his lap. Louis inhaled sharply, looking around to see if anyone else noticed what just happened. Of course, no one had. Nothing had even really happened …. But now Louis was the one who was nervous to meet Santa.

When they reached the front of the line, he grabbed onto the stanchion poles for support, palms sweaty and heart thumping around like shoes in the drier. It was ridiculous, is what it was.

The man’s voice was deep, slow—round, if a sound could be such a thing. It was muffled by the white beard, but it was distinct. Just like those eyes, the man’s voice felt more compelling than anything Louis could remember. He breathed in shallowly and grabbed for one of the twin’s hands. He needed the comfort, but he would never admit that.

And then it was their turn. He helped the twins up the steps, eyes on the ground, delaying the inevitable. When he finally looked up, the man was already busy talking to Doris. Ernest stood shyly by Louis, waiting.

Doris was giggling, at perfect ease in the stranger’s lap as their mom snapped photos. Louis couldn’t help but smile. When she hopped off his lap—large, white-gloved hands assisting her descent—she rushed to tug Ernest toward Santa. “It’s okay, Ernie. Promise.”

So Ernest went, lifted into Santa’s lap to quietly say hello and answer his questions. After a minute his voice grew stronger and louder, his uncertainty slipping away. Louis had entirely forgotten his nerves in the tenderness of watching his siblings, but then Ernest was hopping up to him and tugging his sleeve.

“Your turn, Achoo!” Doris clapped her hands in agreement. Louis felt his eyes widen in panic.

Santa was patting his knee and smirking at Louis. _Smirking._ “Come on, Achoo.”

“Um, actually, it’s Louis,” he said, stepping closer and trying to breathe. He told his mom he was going to do this. The twins wanted him to do this. He could do this. He grimaced as he sat down on the man’s knee. “Sorry.”

“Whatever for, my lad?” Santa asked, eyes twinkling mischievously.

“I just might weigh a bit more than your average visitor.” A large hand came to rest on his lower back, as if to say that he was welcome here, too. It spanned most of his body. He bit his lip. “It’s good to see you, Santa.”

“And you, too, Louis.” That smile spread across the man’s face. Louis was all too aware of how close he was to those green eyes and pink lips, dimples and soft eyebrows. The skin visible between the beard and hat was smooth and tan. He gulped, trying to think. What should he say now? He should have planned this.

Santa spoke again. “Have you been a good lad this year, Louis?”

“Yes. I’ve been a good boy.” Louis froze, vividly remembering the last time he’d uttered that phrase, hand poised over a round ass. _Good boy._ He gulped again and forced out more words to hide the way he reacted. “Doing my best at work, recycling, helping out with the siblings, volunteering, donating, all that good stuff. I think I’m being a pretty decent guy at least.”

“Ah, so are these lovely kids your siblings?” Louis nodded. “Well then, you can’t need much for Christmas. You already have the best gifts in the world.” Santa winked at the twins, who blushed.

Louis smiled at them fondly, suddenly overcome with a craving to one day be visiting Santa with children he called his own. Without really meaning to, he murmured, “It would be nice to raise my own kids.” That got Santa’s attention, and he loved how it felt to be looked at so intently from only inches away. So he kept talking. “I need someone to do that with, though. Not so much luck with the boys so far.”

“Ah. I’m sorry to hear that.” And he really did look sorry.

“So I guess that’s on my wish list. Think you could help me out with that, Santa?”

The man blinked, chest rising and falling more quickly. He spoke slowly. “I can add a boyfriend to your Christmas list, but we can’t make that at the North Pole.”

“Really? No eligible bachelors up there?”

“Um, well,” Santa was blushing now. “Maybe one or two.”

Louis nodded, reveling in the power shift between them. “See, I thought so.” It was his turn to smirk, now. “I should be more specific, though.” He took a breath. If he was doing this, he was going to do it all the way. “I’m looking for a guy who wants a family. A guy who is funny and charming and pretty. Ideally someone who can cook, because I can’t.” He shrugged, unashamed. “A guy who still wants to have a lot of fun with me.” He looked pointedly at the man, trying not to let the hand burning hot against his back melt his confidence away.

“Alright,” Santa said, his voice somehow deeper. “I’ll see what I can do.”

Louis had no self-control anymore, so he added, “And maybe some toys? To share with my boyfriend when he arrives?”

Santa licked his lips and averted his eyes. “Added to the list.”

Louis adjusted his fringe and wiggled his hips just a tad against the man’s knee. “Thanks, Santa.”

The man’s eyes flashed up to meet his, but then his mom was giving them directions to pose for the photo, and Louis was standing up. The camera flashed, and he smiled, heart thundering as he thought about whatever the fuck he had just done. It had felt good. It had felt reciprocated.

The twins said goodbye and then an elf was shepherding them down the stairs and off the platform. They sat down on a nearby bench as the twins filled in their mom on their adventure talking to Santa. Louis sat staring up at the man greeting the next kid. What now?

Did he want to talk to this man again? He didn’t even know his name. And honestly, hadn’t he just embarrassed himself? He was sweating, licking his lips, trying to figure out what to do, but then Santa’s eyes were searching, brow furrowed until they landed on Louis. He smiled that god damn huge smile, and Louis didn’t have to think anymore.

He couldn’t very well go ask the man out while he was being Santa, but he could at least leave a note. He scrabbled through the pockets of his mom’s purse, finding a pen between the lipsticks and candies. Spotting a food vendor, he rushed over to grab a napkin and scrawled his name and phone number on it. His hands were shaking with adrenalin when he walked up to the elf manning the start of the line. His striped tights had not gotten any less hideous, but now Louis needed him.

“Could you please—that guy, um, Santa—could you give him this note?”

The elf looked extremely unimpressed by the limp napkin being thrust his way. “What is this?”

“It’s my—” Louis glanced down at a kid looking at him curiously. “My Christmas list? I forgot to tell him something.”

The elf’s eyes also darted downward toward the kid watching and shot Louis daggers as he smiled. “Oh goodie. Thank you.”

“You’ll be sure he gets that, right?”

“Of course.”

And then there was nothing left to do but follow his family away and wait. His mother caught his eye and raised her eyebrow knowingly. He stuck his tongue out at her.

~~~

He woke up early the next day. When he saw that he had no messages from unknown numbers, he lay in bed replaying every word he spoke and cringing. What the fuck was he thinking? The sun rose slowly as his mind spun in circles. He might be turning 28 today, but he felt like a teenager lying in his childhood bed obsessing over a boy.

It wasn’t even like he was desperate for kids but seeing that man with children had struck something in him, had reminded him of just how badly he wanted to have someone to build a life with. He wanted someone whose gaze made him feel like he was being pulled in, whose hand on his back made him feel safe and sexy at the same time. He wanted everything it seemed like that guy was.

God, he needed to shut up. He didn’t know him at all, and he probably never would.

He sat up in a rush, feet landing on the cold floor and making him wince, but he kept moving. He had to get out of his head. He went to the bathroom, stared in the mirror at his scruff and wondered what the stranger had thought of him. He shook the thought from his head and turned to wander the house. He tiptoed quietly past closed doors, drank a glass of orange juice in the kitchen, stared out the window at tree branches waving in the wind, and tried not to think about anything much at all.

He found his mother in the basement in her bathrobe wrapping gifts. She welcomed him with a soft ‘happy birthday’ and a kiss to his forehead. He sat down beside her and wordlessly started wrapping, too. For as long as he remembered it had been the two of them. It was easy to forget the rest of the world.

~~~

Louis fiddled with his jacket zipper in the checkout line. It was the last day of the year, and Louis definitely did not look at the photos with Santa almost every day. It had been a moment of weakness to get so caught up in some random guy in a ridiculous red suit. He had started swiping again and booked a date for January second with an accountant with blue eyes. He didn’t think about green eyes smirking at him.

His basket was full of champagne and bubbly juice. The family liked to celebrate early on New Year’s Eve. Then he could go out with his lads and properly ring in the new year. He hummed to himself to pass the time.

Behind him there was a gasp followed by a thud and magazines spilling out of the display. Some curly-haired guy was blushing violently as he scrambled to collect them. Louis knelt down to help.

“Slippery buggers, eh?” he said jokingly.

The other man did not look up. “Yeah.”

That voice sounded so familiar, but how? Louis skimmed through his high school class in his mind. “Well, it’s no worry.”

“Thanks,” the man said, glancing up.

Louis choked, coughed, pulled a magazine up to cover his face and wished he could disappear, because he knew those eyes. That was Santa.

It was mortifying enough to embarrass yourself and have your advances ignored, but at least he thought they would never see each other again. Louis tried to breathe evenly and pull together a normal expression. Could he pretend he didn’t recognize him? He lowered the magazine.

“A bit too many cigarettes!” he said lightheartedly before turning away to face the cashier again.

“Um—” the man’s voice was hesitant behind him. “Louis?” Good god, why couldn’t anything go his way? “It _is_ you, right? Two younger siblings? Wanted a boyfriend for Christmas?”

Louis turned around slowly and feigned surprise. “Wow, is that you? You have such a good memory!”

Harry shrugged, blushed. “I like remembering people, especially—” He trailed off and gestured vaguely.

“Well, you certainly look different,” he said lightly, because he did. His hair was dark and curly. His jaw was strong. He was lean and dressed in some sort of legging, athletic short, and sweatshirt combination. He was—unbearably—even more wonderful that Louis had imagined.

The man shuffled his feet and huffed out a laugh. “It’s money. I love kids and Christmas anyway.”

“I figured.” Louis was ready to get the hell out of here even as the man kept talking.

“I’m Harry, by the way,” he said suddenly, as if he had just realized Louis wouldn’t know that. Louis was pulling his items out of his basket, trying to speed up the process as much as possible so he could get away. “Did your Christmas wishes come true?”

That startled Louis. He sounded earnest, but god, it didn’t make it any better that he never texted. “No.”

“Well, would you….” Harry ran his hands through his hair, eyes darting everywhere. “Would you wanna—” Harry paused and sighed. Louis didn’t know where this was going, but he kept his back to him, not wanting to encourage it. “If I were a snowman, I’d be melting right now. You’re too hot.”

And now that was too much.

Louis spun around. “Shut up! You didn’t call me or text me. You can’t make a move now.”

Harry was perfectly still. “How could I have called you?”

“With my number. The one I left with your elf! You should have called me if you were interested!” Louis punctuated each phrase like he was announcing a football game.

“My elf?”

“The dude in hideous striped tights running the line!”

Harry nodded slowly. “That little fucker. He didn’t give me it.”

Louis rolled his eyes. “Acting student, are you? This isn’t convincing.”

“I’m not an acting student, and I’m not lying.”

It was finally Louis’ turn to check out, and he couldn’t be gladder. He ignored Harry as he bagged the items and paid. He was heading out the door when Harry grabbed his arm.

Louis whirled around. “What the fuck do you want?”

Harry looked stricken. “Just—” He pulled his phone from his pocket. “Let me prove it.” He tapped a contact and put it on speaker.

A voice spilled out after the first ring. “Dude, you gotta—”

“Grimmy, shut up,” Harry interrupted. “Can you tell me the name of the guy I met at work?”

“You mean Louis?”

Louis’ felt his heart start thumping.

“Yeah. What have I said about him?”

“That you wished to god you could find him. That he was the fittest, most beautiful, sexy creature you’d ever seen. That you were probably going to waste away dreaming about his blue eyes. You wouldn’t shut up about him. You wanted to raise his _babies_. Did you have momentary memory loss?”

Harry hung up and stared at him, eyes pleading. Louis was breathing hard. They stared at each other until Harry hesitantly held out his phone. Louis took it in trembling hands and added his phone number.

“Text me.” Then he pulled his bags close to his chest and left. He needed just a little bit of dignity.

~~~

Unknown Number

I like milk and cookies, but I would rather have you.

Sent

Come and get me then old man

Unknown Number

Is this the wrong number? I’m not old.

Sent

I don’t think so. what’s my name?

Unknown Number

Louis

Sent

you are very old Santa

Unknown Number

Okay so this is the right number haha

Sent

it’s only the right number if you tell me more about yourself and I like it. otherwise my name is Jack.

Unknown Number

I can work with that ;)

~~~

They celebrated their first anniversary on New Year’s Eve, the day Harry had actually gotten Louis’ number. When cheers and fireworks exploded outside, it was easy to imagine it was for them.

Harry raised his glass of champagne. “To a wonderful year with you. I love you more than I ever thought possible.”

Louis raised his flute and continued, “To the sexiest, silliest, and most adorable man. I’m so glad I get to call you mine. Cheers to another year.”

They kissed rather than drank to seal the toast, lips moving slowly as hands wandered. When they pulled back, Harry tugged Louis even closer, until he settled in his lap.

Louis wrote more toasts in his mind. _Cheers to finding things you didn’t know you needed in places you don’t want to be. Cheers to finding a person you see the future with._ He smiled into Harry’s shoulder. “What are you thinking?”

“I was thinking how the one memory we don’t have in the scrapbook is the most important one,” Harry said.

“What do you mean? We have our first date, our trip to New York, that time you baked bread with my sisters, our short-lived dog walking hustle….” He trailed off.

“When we first met.”

“Oh. The very first time?”

“Mmhmm.”

Louis blushed and looked away. “Not much to say, is there? You were a mall Santa, and my siblings loved you.”

“…and you sat on my lap and said dirty things to me.”

“Right. Well, maybe we don’t need to put that in the book.”

Harry threw his head back laughing. “Okay, honey. I’m just glad you did. I’m glad I found you.”

Louis turned to him, suddenly earnest. “I’m really glad that I gave in and went to see Santa with them. I’m so, so glad that I found you and that you love me.”

Harry smiled and stroked his cheek gently. “Me too.”

The next morning over Harry’s signature breakfast, they decided to move in together. In their new place, they hang a Santa hat on the mantle as a reminder of their most ridiculous and precious memory. And if they sometimes bring it to the bedroom so Louis can ask Santa if _he_ had been good…well, no one needs to know.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you so much for reading! I would love if you left a comment with your favorite part. Happy holidays :)


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